SOVIET TURMOIL

Published: August 28, 1991

VILNIUS, Lithuania, Aug. 27—
The border between the Soviet Union and Lithuania, which the Lithuanians expect will soon become a full-fledged international boundary, is already starting to go up.

At the Vilnius airport today, no Soviet border guards, customs agents or immigration officers were on duty. But no Lithuanian officers have arrived to replace them.

Lithuania proclaimed its independence last year, but only in recent days has it become evident that the proclamation is about to be made real.

The emergence of Lithuania and Latvia and Estonia as independent nations will require each to resolve a host of details. All three are tied to the Soviet system in hundreds of ways, from large-scale economic plans to communications and other technical links. Customs Without Formalities

Until last weekend, Soviet personnel were in charge at the Vilnius airport and at other Lithuanian border posts. On Monday, they did not appear for work, and they have not been seen since. Travelers arriving at the airport today were allowed to enter without passing through any customs or immigration formalities.

One traveler who arrived in Leningrad without a Soviet visa was permitted to go on to Vilnius by unusually cooperative Soviet border guards who accepted his argument that Lithuania was no longer part of the Soviet Union.

A sign at the Vilnius airport asks visitors to declare anything valuable they are carrying, but no agents are posted to check luggage and no customs forms appear to be available.